MANAGER: I want people who can improve us

“I think I’ve said it before, but a big part of my job is to sell the club,” he said. “A lot of the conversations I had with Anthony, for example, were to detail what I think the changing room needs. 

“He’s a character, a leader and he doesn’t like people who don’t commit, whether that’s in training, playing a game or preparing to do your job. He believes in a professional way of doing things and the time he’s spent out has left him with a level of frustration at people he’s seen who aren’t focused on what they need to do. 

“Part of his strength is that he likes people around him to have the same level of focus he has. He wants to play football where I want him to play, and he’s one who can organise the midfield battles we are bound to have. He’ll definitely be involved on Saturday. That leaves me with just another ten players to pick.”

“We were desperately trying to get another player into the building at the beginning of the week but it hasn’t materialised,” he added. “Somebody else has made an offer for that player and you have to give him the opportunity to consider it.

“Players pull the strings to a certain degree, at this stage of the window, because they still have time on their side. If they get to the final week and nothing is sorted, they then face the rest of the season not playing football. That’s when you get the shift in power. 

“From my point of view, that allows me to have more conversations and really get to know people. There’s no point in dragging anyone kicking and screaming up to Carlisle. They’ve got to want to come here and they have to want to sign.

“That’s why we won’t panic. We’ve got other targets in place and you have to accept that the players you’re looking at will also have interest from other clubs. If players get an option to play or stay in a higher division, it will have a bearing on things. If we lose out on a target, most of the time it’s because of factors we can’t compete with.”

“In this case, a club from a higher division than us has shown interest,” he revealed. “That gives him an opportunity to stay in the division he’s in. One thing in our favour is that we’ve offered a straight 18-month contract. They’ve offered him until the end of the season with an option to extend. 

“Talks are ongoing but the player wants to keep his options open for as long as possible. The risk for him is that if another player I fancy, and who I think can do the job, becomes available, I already know I have the finances in place to get it done.”

As to how much work he still has to do, he said: “I think four was the minimum number of additions I was looking at. There’s still a bit of movement to be had with players we have available. 

“We had a game on Tuesday where a number of players played and acquitted themselves very well. Watch this space on that.”

On the additions already made, he added: “I know the reaction a new player can have. Matt Young came in, and he’s a very unassuming young man, and the players have been impressed with how he’s been in training. 

“It’s a natural, given thing for him to want to do extra. He wants to stay out and do more after each session and he enjoys the hard work. He sees this as a challenge with the next stage of his progression, and the more people you have like that around you the more it will grow and blossom. They start to learn that doing extra is not a chore.” 

“Genuine competition for starting places and positions can never be a bad thing,” he concluded. “We want to increase that, but we want to makes sure that is achieved by adding quality. 

“I told the owners when I came in that I could fill the changing room with loan players at the drop of a hat. I don’t want that. I want people who can improve us.”